thread for those interested in refugee hosting/sponsorship

[EezyOozy]

I thought I would start a new thread about this as I have just heard on BBC news that they are opening up a web form tomorrow to express interest. Apparently families/households can claim £350 a month (I assume for increased expenses) and refugees will be eligible to claim or benefits and work. We have large a spare room but live rurally so whilst I will express interest I'm not sure we will be taken up on it.

I thought I would start a new thread for those who are interested and to follow the progress of the registration procedure/how this pans out in practice.

Posted here because it's the only place I know gets plenty traffic, I will probably be asking for this to be moved but don't know where to.

@TheBeesKnee they weren't sure and in the end also plumped for the 25th March as the day they'd arrive in the U.K. by coincidence.
I actually put 23rd March on the form because they have 90 days after that date to enter the U.K. and I thought they might want to get out earlier if conditions get worse. Although they are staying near the border with Poland now so in a much safer area.

Just popping into the thread. I’ve nothing to add except to thank those of you doing this. Well Done 👏🏻 👏🏻
It will make a real difference to those peoples lives and I wish I was in a position to help myself.

@Firefliess

Can I ask how those who've got as far as the application form have found the refugees?

I put details of the room we have available on ukrainetakeshelter.com and within 24 hours 2 women had contacted me on WhatsApp and 1 on email. I've updated my ad to show the room is no longer available so not had more contact me.

Can I ask, how do we tell if the Ukrainian refugee is actually coming from Ukraine having been displaced, or if they’ve ordinarily been resident in another country for some time? Should we be prioritising those from the war torn areas or just anywhere in Ukraine? How would we know where they come from? Does it matter?

@Blimecory - when they get in touch with you, you can ask them this and other questions. You both need to get to know each other a little bit at least, to maximise the chances that the placement will be successful. It's relevant as the scheme is open to Ukrainian nationals or their immediate relatives. They must have been ordinarily resident in Ukraine on a date before January 2022 and the visa process requires them to prove it.

@hassletassle
I don't think it matters about the parents as the daughter is a Ukrainian national who was living in Ukraine at the relevant date so she's eligible for this scheme.

I've no idea about how her being an unaccompanied minor (but with a parent in the UK so not technically unaccompanied) will play out in terms of her application. I imagine it could be complicated. But on government website there's a number for Ukrainians to call and the parents could ask about this.

If the parents have the right residential status, they might be expected to apply themselves to have their daughter join them, even though the accommodation isn't suitable. It sounds potentially quite tricky to me so worth trying the helpline to get some clarity, if you can get through.

@Blimecory

Can I ask, how do we tell if the Ukrainian refugee is actually coming from Ukraine having been displaced, or if they’ve ordinarily been resident in another country for some time? Should we be prioritising those from the war torn areas or just anywhere in Ukraine? How would we know where they come from? Does it matter?

If you want my personal opinion, people from safer western parts of the country should go to the back of the queue at the moment. In my opinion, it does matter.

I've seen people claiming on social media to be from Mariupol, when they probably aren't. Or maybe - they are "from" Mariupol, but their profile clearly shows they've been living elsewhere for at least a decade.

Also, you can't tell with 100% reliability if some has been resident outside of Ukraine. I am in the UK for almost 15 years and could make up a convincing story about being resident in Ukraine - still pay bills, have a bank account with regular transactions, go back for dental/medical treatments regularly etc.

I think the most reliable way is to ask another Ukrainian person to run a quick sense check. As a British person will immediately clock something doesn't add up in another British person's story - for example, if someone with a strong Scottish accent claims to be born and bred in Kent, or someone who claims to be a qualified doctor who is under age for the doctor matriculation and expresses themselves in their native language in a very unintelligent way.

@Shiloh139 Thank you, I don't know the ins and outs yet but I think the parents can't apply themselves… Possibly due to the sort of Visa they have. I've asked for more information, not expecting anything to happen any time soon because yes it's a complicated one!

I will try the help line, thanks again

Well my initial guests are now going to be hosted by someone else as it turns out the kids are 11 and 15 yo boys so our space is a bit small.
However I've found another lady with 11 year old daughter, they are still in Eastern Ukraine and she doesn't even know where to start with leaving. Luckily our amazing local group have put her in contact with someone who is going to help get her out of Ukraine and we will take it from there. Fingers crossed.

Have discussed this again with DH this morning and talked through how it might work and decided to go for it . Have signed up with Reset who are now taking details of hosts' rooms and so await to be matched. Feels a bit scary - very much appreciate hearing from those who're a bit further on with things on this thread and look forward to hearing how it all pans out for you.

hi everyone, not read the full thread since a while ago, but having checked out a couple of my own earlier questions online I have discovered that the council tax discount for single persons is not affected if you take a refugee in, and if you're on benefits like universal credit etc etc they too are not affected by the income from the scheme, which is good news. Now I just need to check with my landlord; I suspect the answer may be a no but you never know!! I would so like to help.

Hi all, I was on a different thread wondering why things were so quiet.

I am at the form wrangling stage with a family of 5 currently in Poland, friends of DH’s Ukrainian friend/colleague.
His wife is Uzbek so they will have a 10 hour round trip to a visa centre to provide biometrics despite already having biometrics on both her Uzbek passport and UA permanent resident’s card, ffs.
They have 3 children under 5 who don’t have passports. Contradictory information being given about whether the kids will also need biometrics appointments: helpline woman said yes but she didn’t ask their age; father has been told not as they are under 5 but I am not sure who by.

How is everyone getting on?
We went flat out yesterday and got the visa applications in last night for my guests, a mum and 10 year old daughter who are in central Ukraine and want to leave but not sure where to go .
I had a video call with the mum y'day morning, then put her in touch with a Ukrainian lady in uk, a contact of our local group. She will support her in getting to a safe country - probably Romania - from where she can get onward travel to UK.

Well done! Our guests have finished their forms and have a visa centre appointment on 22nd.

Not matched with anyone yet sadly. Was about to contact one person but there was an issue with her facebook page (3 different people with same name, name in cyrillic not same as in latin script).

We filled in the form on Reset (homesforukraine.org.uk) yesterday but have heard nothing back and didn't get any kind of automated email acknowledgement even so I'm wondering if the form submitted ok. Has anyone else applied to be matched on that site? And if so, did you get an acknowledgement?

We have registered with Reset @Firefliess I don't think we got an acknowledgment though.

No. I wrote a post about anyone hearing back from those charities but no one responded. I do know that loads seem to have matched with ukrainians on a particular facebook site but it's all become a bit of cattle market tbh.

Does anyone know if shorter term stays are an option with any of these schemes? We are hosting a student July & August so can't commit to the required 6 months minimum but it seems such a shame to have an empty en-suite room for the next 3 months.

@movemamamove

Does anyone know if shorter term stays are an option with any of these schemes? We are hosting a student July & August so can't commit to the required 6 months minimum but it seems such a shame to have an empty en-suite room for the next 3 months.

The government scheme for Ukrainians definitely requires that you're able to commit to at least six months. The charities that work with other refugees (refugees at home and the other similar one) might take you for shorter placements though.

@movemamamove

Does anyone know if shorter term stays are an option with any of these schemes? We are hosting a student July & August so can't commit to the required 6 months minimum but it seems such a shame to have an empty en-suite room for the next 3 months.

I suspect this problem is going to go on for a long time, so you could always offer availability from September onwards?

And there will be some people who will need to move on from their accommodation after 6 months too.

@Firefliess

We filled in the form on Reset (homesforukraine.org.uk) yesterday but have heard nothing back and didn't get any kind of automated email acknowledgement even so I'm wondering if the form submitted ok. Has anyone else applied to be matched on that site? And if so, did you get an acknowledgement?

Also completed the Reset form and didn't get any sort of acknowledgment.

Thanks for this thread. Just at the thinking stage but I have Ukrainian colleagues and would be very happy to host a friend of a friend, or a connection of a connection. Not sure yet about a complete stranger, but if my town gets its act together and local groups want to place people in groups, I would also be up for that.

Thanks @Firefliess and @Tulipomania. I've been in touch with the local refugee coordinator and there's lots of ways I can help and they know there is a short term place if required. Thanks for the reply.